Vikram Bhatt's Raaz (2002) showed Malini Sharma sitting nude by the fire. A decade later, Raaz 3 featured Esha Gupta, who is terrified by the cockroaches crawling up her body, undressing herself and running stark naked into a party.

Now, in the upcoming film Raaz Reboot, which is produced by Mukesh Bhatt, Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar, leading lady Kriti Kharbanda (a newbie in Bollywood) will appear in the buff too. Vikram, who is the writer-director, declines to divulge too many details.

When quizzed about showcasing women undressing on screen, he is quick to assert that the nudity in the Raaz franchise is not meant to titillate viewers. He says, “I think it is fiercely demonic when a woman shuns all societal parameters to reveal herself. It is not sleazy or even blatantly sexual.“

He elaborates, “When a person is possessed, he or she loses all inhibitions. And that's exactly what we have tried to show. Given that they are not expected to shed their clothes and inhibitions in our society, when a woman exposes herself in her natural state, it's like she has been subdued and the demon is in control. She's at that point where she doesn't care who is around her or watching her. She doesn't even care if it's minus 10 degrees outside, like in Raaz Reboot.“

Raaz Reboot, presented by Gulshan Kumar and produced by T-Series and Vishesh Films, releases on September 16.